


now we are free

by braveatheart



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, I Made Myself Cry, Oops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 23:27:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12568584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/braveatheart/pseuds/braveatheart
Summary: “I’ve got you,” Alex whispers, and if you could break down, you would.  “Go to her, okay?”The pain ebbs at Alex’s hushed words.Her.inspired by this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxNq8dU4faU&t=60sListen to "Now We Are Free" from the Gladiator soundtrack, or an instrumental, while you read.





	now we are free

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea for a while, and I hope it is as good as I thought it might be. Listen to the song "Now We Are Free" from the Gladiator soundtrack, or an instrumental, while you read. It makes it all the more heartbreaking. I hope you enjoy!

You should’ve listened to Alex.

You knew she was right the moment she said it; this was far too dangerous. Even for someone with superhuman abilities, this was far too dangerous. You knew nothing. The DEO had no idea who or what was behind the newest attacks on National City, but people were dying. This was different. It wasn’t unusual for people to suffer injuries, even serious ones - but to die? You can recall only one time an attack resulted in a death. You couldn’t let that happen again. 

So, without knowing what you were going into, you charged on. 

Now, here you stand, in a remote place that you don’t even recognize, surrounded by people you’ve never seen. They look like people, anyway; something isn’t right in their eyes. You don’t know what they are, but you know they aren’t human.

You can’t even remember how you got here. As consciousness continues to return to you, you realize that you’re restrained in a splintering wooden chair. 

There are two things that don’t make sense in that statement.

One, you shouldn’t be restrained. There’s nothing on Earth strong enough to restrain you.

Two, why can you feel the fact that the chair is splintering?

Why can you feel pain? And why are you bleeding?

“The chains,” you whisper.

You look down as far as the restraints will permit, and your suspicions are confirmed. The chains holding you captive are glowing a sickly green, a stark contrast to the crimson that stains your uniform. Your blood, you realize. The green and red together remind you of the decorations that line the streets of National City, and for a moment you allow yourself to long for the celebrations and comforts of the city you’ve been taken from.

The moment passes fleetingly, and you force yourself to look upward. The effort it takes to lift your head sends panic shooting through your chest, but you don’t let it show. You’ve got other priorities, now, as there is someone - something, rather - standing in front of you where the ground was once empty. It looks down at you, eerily human save for the offness of its eyes - and twists its lips upward in some semblance of a smile.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Supergirl, for a very long time,” it says. Even its voice sounds almost human, but there’s an odd raspiness to it.

You strain your hearing, praying to be able to locate Alex’s heartbeat, or Winn’s, or anyone’s, for that matter. 

There’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. You can’t even hear the heartbeats of the things standing around you, and it hits you like a freight train that these things aren’t even really alive. You listen harder, and find that they aren’t even breathing. It is utterly silent save from the only sounds of life in the room - your own.

Room? Is it even a room? Are you even on Earth?

“What do you want?” you ask, though your voice fails you. The words are more a croak than anything, but the thing seems to understand anyway.

“You,” it says, softly as though crooning over you, “just you. We’ve waited a long time.”

“And what exactly are you?”

The thing chuckles softly, looking you up and down with that same twisted smile. It looks almost adoring, but in the sickest way. You stare back at it with as much force and anger as you can muster. You have to admit; it isn’t much.

“You have spent too long condemning your own kind,” it replies. “The otherwordly. Visitors.”

Its eyes widen, and it leans in close to you.

“Aliens,” it whispers, breath stinking and putrid, and then chuckles as it backs away. You take as deep a breath as the restraints allow, trying desperately to calm your panic. Your efforts are useless, however, because the way these things are staring at you is so unnerving that only escape will calm you.

_ Alex. Dammit, where is Alex? _

Another prick of fear makes your chest tighten. What if something had happened to her? To Alex?

You push the thought away, the weight of it too much for you to handle. You have to focus. There has to be some way to escape, even without your strength or powers. As your eyes flit around the room, which looks more like an unending darkness with a splotch of light in the center of it, you wrack your brain for some solution.

You come up empty handed. Instead, you decide to buy yourself some time. You force yourself to tilt your chin upward, and you stare down the creature that stands before you. Your eyes to begin to burn, but you refuse to blink.

“The only aliens I condemn are the ones that harm others,” you declare with conviction, unwilling to waver. “Like you, I presume.”

The thing’s twisted smile falters, and you catch the moment that its eyes darken into fury. You’ve struck a nerve now.

_ So much for buying time,  _ you think.

They’ve got to be somewhere. Somewhere, whether it’s miles or lightyears away, they’ve got to be somewhere. Alive. Searching for you. 

You know that Alex would die before she gave up on you, and Maggie would stand behind her until the Earth exploded into bits. Winn and James would act on their every demand. You have no doubt that if they’re still alive, they’re going to find you. It would be only a matter of time.

The problem is, you don’t know if their clocks have stopped ticking.

You’re jerked - quite literally - out of your thoughts as the monstrous alien, no longer disguising itself in human form, grabs hold of the chains around your body with two giant claws. That’s all there is at the end of the limbs of its upper body; scaly and rough skin melds seamlessly into a giant, terrifyingly sharp claw. 

Its face is no less horrifying. Its features are still vaguely human; humanoid eyes, and a humanoid nose. Its mouth, however, is anything but. Where a humanoid jaw used to be, there is only a gaping hole lined with tiny, razor-sharp teeth. Your stomach lurches at the sight of the still-humanoid tongue, the only semblance of normalcy in the disgusting mess of a mouth, and you fight to keep the bile from rising in your throat. 

You can’t see much other than the scaly and bony exterior of its chest, bones and flesh poking out unnaturally, and you think that your short range of vision may not be the worst thing in the world.

“I’ll kill you,” the thing threatens, its voice loud and booming from its throat though its mouth doesn’t move. Its breath is even more putrid than before, and its voice reverberates in your skull as though it were spoken directly into your brain. Perhaps it was, but your ears rattle as well, leaving you uncertain.

You register the thing’s words, and panic seizes you, nearly knocking the wind out of you. You’ve heard these words before, but this time is different. 

Before, your captors couldn’t keep their promises. But this thing can.

_ Just a little more time,  _ you think as you watch the thing raise its claw.  _ I just need a little more time. _

The sickening irony of the situation hits you, and you chuckle wryly as the claw begins to descend on you.

You always needed just a little more time. But yet again, the sand runs out, and the last grain trickles into the bottom of the hourglass.

The claw lodges itself in your chest with more force than you’ve ever been able to produce, and you’re frozen. There’s nothing more you can do now. You can’t even cry out for Alex, the sudden force making it impossible for you to breathe. You know it’s a hallucination from shock, but you swear you can hear the faint ticking of a grandfather clock before everything fades to darkness.

 

XX

 

“Kara? Kara!”

Maggie’s voice echoes in your ears. It sounds distant, as though down a long tunnel, but its undoubtedly hers. You hear Alex’s voice a bit more clearly as she repeats your name. Her words crack as she shouts them from across the room.

Just moments later, hands grasp at your body, and you can barely feel them. Your eyelids are impossibly heavy. Still for their sake, you force them to open. The once dark room seems blinding and bright, but you fight the urge to close your eyes again. 

Alex and Maggie soon move into your field of vision, and your heart - what’s left of it - breaks in your mangled chest. Alex is already sobbing, her cheeks and nose a bright red as hot, thick tears pour down them like rivers. She’s shaking. No, trembling - her entire body is trembling, and you’re not sure how she’s even standing. A quivering hand covers her mouth, and she stares at you in disbelief. 

Maggie looks like she’s in shock. She doesn’t even breathe - all you can hear is her heart beating erratically, searching for oxygen and coming up empty. Her lips are parted, eyes wide, and she stares at you emptily. Her eyes don’t quite focus on you, though; rather, she stares  _ through  _ you, unable to grasp the reality of the situation.

You try to speak, but it’s impossible. There’s no air to push through your throat. You’re suffocating slowly, only still alive because of your inhuman abilities. Were you entirely coherent, you’re sure that this suffocation would be much worse, but you’re grateful for your numbness. Your chest hardly even hurts. You simply lie there, feeling nothing, and feeling everything.

“Don’t try to talk, Kara,” Maggie says, voice raspy and hushed. There’s yelling around you - J’onn, barking orders to idle agents - but you do your best to tune it out. You force your eyes to focus on Maggie and Alex. 

Alex reaches down and pushes your hair back behind your ear, and you melt into her touch. Your head lolls sideways into her icy hand, and you plead silently that she understands. 

Luckily, she does. Her fingers lock behind your neck as her thumb strokes your cheek. There’s something wet on your skin - tears, your own. Alex takes a shuddering breath as a few more droplets slide down her own cheeks. You want to reach up, to wipe them away, but you’re paralyzed. Your arms refuse to move, no matter how much you will them to. All you can do is watch your sister cry.

“Kara, I am so sorry that we didn’t get here in time,” she professes. “That I wasn’t here… to save you.”

Maggie seems to sense Alex’s break before she does, because strong, dark arms wrap around Alex’s shoulders. Maggie rests her face in the crook of Alex’s neck, and for the first time Kara watches tears slide down bronze cheeks. It breaks your heart, even more so than it quite literally is already broken. 

You try to speak again, but you’re met with a stomach-churning gurgling sound coming from your throat instead. Alex is immediately shushing you. She leans down and presses damp lips to your forehead. They are so warm. When did it get so cold?

_ I’m sorry,  _ you mouth, not even certain your lips are moving.

Maggie scoffs humorlessly, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks. She shakes her head. 

“No, Kara,” she whispers. “No. You did everything right.”

Black is creeping into the edge of your vision, and your mind feels hazy. You don’t want this. You don’t want to lose this, to lose them. It’s ironic, you think - you’re the one dying, but you’re afraid of losing  _ them. _

“I love you so much, Kara,” Alex says, stifling a sob as she says your name. “So much.”

_ I love you more,  _ you mouth back. Adoration rushes into you all at once, filling you with warmth that fights against the bitter cold of the room. Rao, it is so cold. 

Your force your eyes open for a few moments longer, willing yourself to meet Maggie’s heartbroken gaze. You stare at her, begging, pleading, praying that she’ll understand. You can’t move anymore. Not even your lips will move.

Maggie sobs, her features contorting in agony, and she nods furiously. 

“I swear, Kara,” she whispers. “I’ve got her.”

Out of nowhere, one last hurrah of pain shoots through your chest, and you feel your body convulse in response. Tears spring to your fading eyes, and somehow you release a pained yelp. You’re on fire. Your chest is burning to ash, and you turn to Alex, somehow moving your head. Your eyes beg for mercy.

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” she says, suddenly lifting you. You don’t remember when the restraints were removed. The three of you are suddenly on the ground, Alex holding you against her chest. You can hear her heart hammering against her ribs. Another set of hands - Maggie - holds your legs. The heat of their bodies warm your ice cold limbs.

“I’ve got you,” Alex whispers, and if you could break down, you would. 

“Go to her, okay?”

The pain ebbs at Alex’s hushed words.

_ Her. _

The last thing you see is Alex’s tear-filled, bloodshot eyes looking down at you as you close yours for the last time.

 

Xx 

 

Warm.

It is so warm here.

Where is ‘here’?

A wry thought crosses your mind.

_ Did I go to hell? I mean, I know I wasn’t perfect, but jeez… _

A sudden breeze sends strands of stray, unnaturally soft hair onto your cheeks. You reach up to push them away, and your hand brushes something warm and soft.

Something human.

Your eyes shoot open in surprise, but you immediately regret the action. Bright yellow light beats down onto your ocean irises, momentarily blinding you. You groan, reaching up to cover your eyes with your hands. The blinding light disappears for a moment, and you let slip a sigh of relief.

There is a quiet chuckle from somewhere above you, and suddenly, you don’t remember what it is to breathe.

_ Her. _

_ It’s her. _

“You still have to breathe, you know,” she says softly, that unidentifiable yet soothing accent slipping through. “I mean, nothing bad will happen perse if you don’t, but it would certainly feel odd.”

You can’t bring yourself to move your hands. You take a few shuddering breaths, willing the tears that threaten to come at bay, but you don’t move your hands. You stay there, staring at the back of your clean and uncalloused hands, trying to prepare yourself.

She waits. She must understand, after all - years without, and suddenly she’s here again. A tentative hand rests on your wrist, seeking permission to gently guide it away. You don’t give it yet, and she doesn’t push. She remains, constant, and waits.

“I believe in you, Kara Danvers,” she whispers affectionately, sincerity dripping from her words. “You can do this.”

You decide there’s no point in hiding the fact that tears have inevitably begun to stream down your cheeks. Slowly, you move your hand away, and she gently guides it to your side.

It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust, but when they do, you understand. Looking at her… it’s like staring into the sun itself. 

She is brilliant. 

Radiant, brilliant, and beautiful.

She looks so different from the last memory you have of her. She looks… like her. 

Her hair is long and silky, not brittle and ashy like you last saw it. It is black like a raven. Her eyes are once again greener than the grass around you, her skin perfectly pale like untouched porcelain. There’s a tint of rose in her cheeks. Only rose; the red is gone. 

It has been so long.

“Why are you crying, love?” she whispers, her thumb brushing the tears off your rosy cheeks. You sniffle, the action useless, and take a steadying breath. 

“I missed you,” you admit, a sob pushing up your throat. “I missed you so much.”

All at once, you’re lifted from her lap and pulled close to her chest, not unlike how Alex had held you just minutes ago. She is strong and unrelenting, and you need that right now. You bury your face in her neck, breathing in her scent as deeply as your lungs will allow. Gentle, steady fingers thread through your silken waves of blonde. She whispers quiet words you can’t quite discern, but you don’t need to. Her voice thrums against your temple, sending vibrations of her through your body.

You weep openly in her arms for Rao knows how long - time feels both infinite and moving here, wherever here is. The sun is set lower in the sky when you finally feel strong enough to pull away. You have to force yourself to slacken your grip, afraid that she might just disappear the moment you do.

She doesn’t, though. She simply smiles down at you, eyes misty and pupils dilated. Her lip quivers ever so slightly.

“I missed you too, Kara,” Lena whispers. “Every day.”

You let out your breath slowly, drinking her in. Soft lips press to your forehead as you will your heart to slow its anxious pace. It’s going to take time for you to understand that you’re no longer in danger, but you have all the time in the world.

“Will Alex and Maggie be okay? And Winn?” you ask. You’re not sure why you assume she knows, but something tells you she does. 

Before she answers, she shifts your position. The two of you lean against the tree, hands joined but otherwise only sitting beside each other, and stare out into the vast fields before you. There’s a waterfall on the horizon. You can’t help but grin as you realize that your final resting place looks nearly exactly as everyone made it out to be in the movies. 

“They’re going to be fine,” Lena replies, her thumb drawing circles on the back of your palm. “And not too far behind us, either.”

Images flash before you, gruesome and terrifying, and you feel a horrible pang of sadness in your chest as you process what they are. You sigh, crestfallen, and your eyes fall to the grass beneath you.

“It would seem none of us will have a peaceful end, but at least we’re at peace here,” Lena says softly. She seems to sense your sadness at the images you just received. Her grip on your hand tightens slightly, a gentle reminder of her presence. 

Something about it makes you feel that it truly will be okay, eventually.

The sun is nearly on the horizon, and the sky is majestic and breathtaking. It’s every perfect sunset you’ve ever seen rolled into one; a grandiose painting of oranges and reds and pinks and perfectly fluffy clouds. Though the sun is set, the air is still comfortably warm, the grass soft, the tree a perfect place to rest. The thought of sleep is inviting, but not yet.

“What now?” you ask. It occurs to you that you have literally an eternity. 

“This is just the beginning,” Lena explains. “This? This is just… a gateway. An inbetween.”

You nod, still listening. 

“You cannot even imagine the wonders that still await,” she promises, and you can feel that she’s right. A giddiness rises in your chest, and you don’t repress the toothy grin that comes to your lips. 

“Now, we are free,” Lena concludes, her voice softer. 

It’s the perfect end to her explanation, and she seems to agree, for she says no more. The two of you sit there against the tree, its trunk growing softer and more inviting as the sun sets lower in the sky. Only when the moon is high and illuminating the fields in a beautiful white glow do you give into sleep’s call. 

The last thing you hear before the darkness pulls you in is Lena’s voice, low and soothing, saying three little words you’ve been missing all this time.

**Author's Note:**

> I am eternally crying.


End file.
